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FDA Approved: Plug Bullet Wounds in 20 Seconds

A sponge-filled syringe designed to close up gaping gunshot wounds in seconds has been approved for use in America’s civilian population. The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) says that the device — originally developed for use by the military — can now be deployed by civilian first responders to control severe bleeding.

The syringe works by injecting small, expandable cellulose sponges into wounds that can’t be stopped from bleeding with the use of a tourniquet. The sponges expand on contact with blood in just 20 seconds, blocking its flow out of the body. Seems more like science fiction then reality.

Each applicator absorbs up to a pint of blood and up to three syringes can be used on a single patient. The sponges are only a temporary measure, though, intended to stop bleeding until the patient can be taken to a hospital. Each sponge is also tagged with a radiopaque marker so it can be easily spotted using X-ray and removed at a later date.

“When a product is developed for use in the battlefield, it is generally intended to work in a worst-case scenario where advanced care might not be immediately available,” said the FDA’s acting director of device evaluation, William Maisel, in a press statement. “It is exciting to see this technology transition to help civilian first responders control some severe, life-threatening bleeding while on the trauma scene.”